---
title: "Project Reach"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-052b13"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-052b13"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-052b13.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-052b13.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LTD"
published: "2025-06-02"
---

# Project Reach

Buyer: NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LTD  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-052b13

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## Summary

Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd, based in London, has completed a significant procurement process titled "Project Reach," which pertains to the construction and ancillary works for telephone and communication lines under the CPV classification 45232300. This initiative is focused on deploying new public communications networks alongside the UK's railway infrastructure to enhance public electronic communications connectivity and futureproof essential telecoms services. The procurement, exempt from the UK public procurement regulations due to its specific scope under Regulation 11 of the Concession Contracts Regulations 2016, has been awarded to the Digital Reach Partners consortium, comprising Digital Reach Partners Limited and Freshwave Facilities Limited. The project has moved to the award stage, with a contract signed on 2nd June 2025 after observing a mandatory standstill period, and the estimated value ranges from £925 million to £935 million. The procurement method did not involve prior publication of a call for competition due to its exemption status.

This tender presents substantial business opportunities, particularly for companies specializing in telecommunications infrastructure, electronic communication services, and railway technology enhancements. Businesses with expertise in optical telecommunications, mobile connectivity, and fibre network deployment can significantly benefit, given the project's scope to expand technological frameworks and improve connectivity along railway corridors. SMEs such as Digital Reach Partners Limited and Freshwave Facilities Limited exemplify the type of innovative enterprises that stand to grow by contributing to and leveraging advancements in public communications infrastructure. The long-term concession of 37 years, with a potential extension to 77 years, offers a considerable runway for businesses to engage in sustainable, technologically driven growth by partnering with Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd in this forward-thinking initiative.

## Notice

Following the completion of a competitive procedure, Network Rail ("NR") intends to appoint the Digital Reach Partners consortium to design, deploy, support and fund new public communications networks and supporting infrastructure on the railway in return for the right to use and commercially exploit the new networks and infrastructure under a long-term concession. The concession may also involve using, upgrading or increasing NR's existing telecoms infrastructure assets. The consortium comprises Digital Reach Partners Limited, a subsidiary of Neos Networks Limited, as the fibre partner ("Fibre Partner"), and Freshwave Facilities Limited as the connectivity partner ("Connectivity Partner") (together the "Concessionaire Partners"). NR will now observe a standstill period of at least 10 calendar days from the date of this notice. Following expiry of the standstill period, NR and the Concessionaire Partners will enter into a concession agreement and other concession documents

### Lot Information

Lot 1

PROJECT REACH BACKGROUND TO NETWORK RAIL TELECOMS NR owns, operates and develops most of Great Britain's railway infrastructure, which includes over 16,000 km of fibre networks and c. 2,500 wireless masts with co-location potential alongside the rail corridor. These telecoms infrastructure assets are a critical enabler for NR to run a safe and efficient railway service to meet the needs of passengers and freight users. They support the delivery of secure, efficient and effective services to passengers and freight users by underpinning safety critical operational services, enabling future train control systems and delivering improved passenger experience and safety via information and security systems. BACKGROUND TO PROJECT REACH Project Reach is designed to advance wider government policy goals of improving public electronic communications connectivity; futureproof NR's telecoms infrastructure for its own rail requirements; and to enable the provision of the next generation of railway technology to significantly improve safety, reliability and passenger connectivity (together "Reach Outcomes"). PROCESS The award follows a tender process that was exempt from the UK statutory procurement regime (see Section VI.3 for further information). The original call for competition was advertised on Find a Tender Service on 26 April 2021 (Contract Notice Ref: 2021/S 000-008949). SCOPE The main features of the concession are as follows: The Fibre Partner will be granted (subject to certain exclusions) the following: * the exclusive right to deploy a new fibre optic network along the rail corridor on NR's controlled estate ("New Reach Fibre") in addition to other NR fibre networks on NR's estate ("Other NR Fibre"); the receipt of dark fibre 'indefeasible rights of use' ("IRU") over allocated capacity on New Reach Fibre; * the option to receive additional IRU over capacity from Other NR Fibre, with certain IRUs being granted from the outset; * the exclusive right to commercialise the IRUs received on New Reach Fibre and Other NR Fibre by selling electronic communication services to the public. The Connectivity Partner will be granted (subject to certain exclusions) the following: * the exclusive right to deploy mobile connectivity solutions (within certain railway stations and railway tunnels and/or cuttings across railway routes) and commercialise such mobile connectivity solutions for public use; and * the option to provide white label Wi-Fi service for public use within stations. NR will receive a revenue share and retain an allocation of New Reach Fibre for various purposes including rail use and supporting the Concessionaire Partners' provision and exploitation of the mobile connectivity solutions. NR will also receive electronic communication services to NR's corporate and operational sites including circuits, fibre and additional connection services. The estimated value of revenue from the Concessionaire Partners' use and commercial exploitation of the new networks is PS740m for the Concessionaire Partners. In addition, NR will provide a capital contribution to support initial deployment of fibre (PS100m) and pay for the electronic communication services with an estimated value of PS85m-95m. The initial term of the concession is 37 years, with an option to renew for a further 30 years and an extension of the initial term by up to 10 years if the renewal option is not exercised.

Options: Set out elsewhere in this notice

### Procurement Information

Project Reach is an exempt transaction under UK public procurement regulations, as it falls within the scope of the electronic communications exemption in Regulation 11 of the Concession Contracts Regulations 2016. For further information, please see the explanation in Section VI.3.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/029322-2025 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Works |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 2 Jun 2025 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 1 Jun 2025 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £935,000,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LTD |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Post town | South East London |
| Postcode | SE1 8SW |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI4 Inner London - East |
| ITL 3 | TLI45 Lambeth |
| Local authority | Lambeth |
| Electoral ward | Waterloo & South Bank |
| Westminster constituency | Vauxhall and Camberwell Green |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 2 |
| Supplier names | DIGITAL REACH PARTNERS; FRESHWAVE FACILITIES |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 31 - Electrical machinery, apparatus, equipment and consumables; lighting
- 32 - Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment
- 44 - Construction structures and materials; auxiliary products to construction (except electric apparatus)
- 45 - Construction work
- 50 - Repair and maintenance services
- 64 - Postal and telecommunications services
- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

### Codes

- 31200000 - Electricity distribution and control apparatus
- 32000000 - Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment
- 32412100 - Telecommunications network
- 32520000 - Telecommunications cable and equipment
- 32521000 - Telecommunications cable
- 32522000 - Telecommunications equipment
- 32523000 - Telecommunications facilities
- 32524000 - Telecommunications system
- 32562200 - Optical telecommunication cables
- 44212250 - Masts
- 44212261 - Radio masts
- 45231400 - Construction work for electricity power lines
- 45231600 - Construction work for communication lines
- 45232300 - Construction and ancillary works for telephone and communication lines
- 45232332 - Ancillary works for telecommunications
- 45314300 - Installation of cable infrastructure
- 45314310 - Installation of cable laying
- 50330000 - Maintenance services of telecommunications equipment
- 50331000 - Repair and maintenance services of telecommunications lines
- 50332000 - Telecommunications-infrastructure maintenance services
- 50333000 - Maintenance services of radio-communications equipment
- 50334000 - Repair and maintenance services of line telephony and line telegraphy equipment
- 64200000 - Telecommunications services
- 64227000 - Integrated telecommunications services
- 71311230 - Railway engineering services
- 71322000 - Engineering design services for the construction of civil engineering works

## Release History

- 2 Jun 2025 at 16:40 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/029322-2025

## Notice URLs

- http://www.networkrail.co.uk

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-052b13. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-052b13.json.